Winding mechanism



Patented Sept. 21, 1937 v UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE WINDING MECHANISM Edwin J. Mcllvried, Akron, and Norman H. Nye, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignors to The Vaughn Machinery Company, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a

' corporation of Ohio Application January 15,1936, serai No. sansa` 16 Claims. (Cl. 242-25) This invention relates to winding apparatus, pecially applicable to high speed winding of comand more particularly, to improved apparatus oi? paratively delicate strand material, such as fine this kind adapted for use in winding various wire. In the accompanying drawing, to which kinds of material and especially suitable for rela- 'more detailed reference will now be Imade, we tive high speed winding of comparatively delicate have 'shown winding apparatus embodying our, 5 strand material, such as ilne wire. y linvention and which is particularly Asuited to The principal object of the present invention winding service of the character last mentioned. is to provide improved winding apparatus having It vwill be understood, however, that the illusmeans for automatically controlling one or more tration of this particular machine is by way of winding functions in response to changes in the example and that the invention is not necessarily 10 depth of the material on the spool. f limited to this machine nor to the winding of any Another object qf the invention is to provide particular strand material. improved winding apparatus having a ,spool The machine illustrated in this instance is proadapted to be driven at different speeds, and vided with asuitable frame l0, which may be a means for automatically controlling the speed cast metal frame of hollow construction to enclose l5 y of the spool to compensate for changes in the and protectvarious parts of the mechanism. A effective diameter of the spool comprising a memrotatable arbor I l suitably mounted on the frame ber in' cooperating relation to the spool and is adapted to receive a spool l2 npon which the adapted to be moved substantially proportionately wire, or other strand material, 13 is to be Wound.

with changes in the depth of material thereon. The arbor may be suitably connected with a drive 20 Still another object of the invention is to proshaft Il which extends into the chamber of the vide novel control means for strand Winding apframe i0 and is supported on the frame by suitparatus comprising a member in cooperating reable bearings I5 provided thereon. A lation to the spool and adapted to be moved in The spool i2 may be driven at different speeds response to variations in the depth of material on 4 by powerA transmitted thereto through an adjust- 25 the spool but which member is prevented from able transmission device I6. The transmission contact with the material by an intervening medevice illustrated in this instance is of the fricdium. tion type and comprises a friction disk l1 and a A further object of the invention is to provide a roller I8 which is drivingly connected to the shaft novel control for winding apparatus comprising a Il and engaged Vby the face of the friction disk. 30 member adapted to Vbe moved in response to It will be understood, of course, that any other changes in the depth of material on the spool and well known form of adjustable transmission may which member has adischarge opening presented be used in place of the friction device just deto the material and is prevented from contact scribed. The disk I1 may be driven from any with the material by iiuid discharged theresuitable source of power, such as fromfa motor or 35 against through said opening. line shaft,'with which the pulley 2li may be con- Yet another object of the invention is to pronected as by means of la belt.

vide'improved winding apparatus having an osvThe disk l1 is connected with the pulley 20 by cillating guide for directing the material to difmeans of a shaft 2l which, in this instance, is a.

40 ferent portions of the spool, and wherein the exible shaftv having a pair of universal joints 40 travel of such guide isv automatically varied by 22 and 23 therein. The outer end of the shaft may means operated in response to changes in the be mounted in a stationary bearing, such as the depth of material on the spool. bearing 24 provided on the frame l0, but the in- Other objects and advantages of the invention ner end of the shaft is shiftable laterally for the 4'5 will'be apparent from vthe following description purpose of shifting'the disk I1 so that different when taken in conjunction with the accompanyportions thereof may be brought into driving ening sheet of drawings, wherein gagement with the roller 1:8 to vary the transmis- Fig. 1 is an elevational view, with parts in secsion adjustment or ratio.

tion, showing a winding mechanism embodying To provide for such shifting of the disk I1, we

our invention; and y mount the inner end of the shaft 2l in a shiftable Fig. 2 isa sectional view thereof taken as indibearing 26 which is carried on one arm of apivotcated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1. ed control member preferably in the form of the Although our invention, when suitably emlever 21. The pivot for the lever 21 may be a stud bodied in winding machines, may be adapted to 28 which is mounted in a part of the frame I0.

the winding of various kinds 0f material, it is es- The lever 21 is, preferably, slidably as well as I pivotally mounted on the vpin 28 and aA compreslion spring 29 maybe disposed between the lever and the frame to normally urge the lever in a direction to press the disk I1 against the roller I8. Shifting movement of the disk suflicient for different transmission ratios is permitted by providing the shaft 2| with a spline connection 30 adjacent one of the universal joints.

As indicated above; one of the important fea.- tures of our invention is the provision of means for automatically controlling the speed of the spool I2 to compensate for changes in the eiective diameter of the spool which results from the building up of the material thereon. For the accomplishment of this movable member, preferably in the form of a hollow swinging arm 32, which is adapted to'be I6. The hollow arm 32 may be pivotally mounted adjacent the spool I2 by being provided with a shaft extension 33 which is rockably mounted in and extends through asuitable bearing 34. The outer free end of the arm 32 is disposed in cooperating relation to the spool I2 and may be of nozzle-like form and provided with a discharge opening 35 which is presented to the material on the spool.

For operatively connecting the extension shaft 33 of the'arm 32 with the shiftable lever 21, we provide a stop or ratchet 31 which is pinned upon or otherwise connected to the lshaft and which has an angularly disposed step-like series of teeth or shoulders 38 adapted to be engaged by a. pawllike arm or extension 39 provided on the lever 21.

' A tension spring 40, suitably arranged to act on .tween the arm and the material.

the lever 21, normally holds the pawl 39 in engagement with some one of the teeth of the series 38, and the particular tooth with whichV the pawl engages at a given instant determines the position of the disk I1 with respect to the roller I8.

From the arrangement just described it will be seen that swinging movement of the hollow arm 32 outwardly relative to the spool I2 will cause swinging movement of the ratchet 31 in a direction which may be conveniently referred to as into the plane of the paper upon which this drawing is made, and such movement of the ratchet allows the pawl 39 to successively engage the individual teeth of the series 38. As the pawl 39 moves from one tooth to the next of this series the inner end of the shaft 2I is moved to the left, as seen in Fig. 2, and the point of contact of the roller I8 with the disk I 1 approaches correspondingly closer to the axis of rotation of the disk with the result that the speed of rotation of the spool I2 will be correspondingly reduced.

If the arm 32l were allowed to contact directly with the material on the spool, more or less damage would result to the material, and to avoid this we provide lfor an intervening medium be- This interven ing medium may conveniently be a uid, preferably ar, which is discharged through the nozzle opening 35 at the free end of the arm and against the materialen the spool. Air for this purpose may be obtained from any suitable source, and may be supplied-to the arm 32 through a pipe 40 and the hollow gland 4I into which a portion of the arm 32 may extend. The air is supplied to the arm 32 at 'such pressure that it will be discharged against the `material of the spool at a substantially constant velocity so that the free end of the arm will be in cooperating relation to function We provide athe surface of the material on the spool but maintained just out of contact therewith.

As another feature of our invention we have provided novel means for controlling an oscillating guide which directs the material to different 5 portions of the spool. This control makes possible the use of a winding spool having oppositely tapered end ilanges, as shown in Fig. 2. Before proceeding with the description of this improved guide control, we wish to point out that certain 10 important advantages make it desirable to use a winding spool having such oppositely tapered end anges, but that a satisfactory guide or laying device has not been available heretofore which would permit the use of a. spool of this 15 gripped or fouled adjacent the anges of straight- 20 flanged spools, which tendency is well understood by those skilled in this art.

'I'he strand guiding mechanism with which our novel control may be used, may comprise a. reciprocable bar 45 having av pair of guide fingers 26 46 between which the strand I3 extends. 'Ihe bar 45 may be supported and guided in a suitable bearing 4,1 so as to have reciprocating movement substantially parallel with the axis of spool rotation. 'I'he bar 45 may be normally urged in 30 one direction, for example inwardly of the frame I0, by means of a compression spring 48 disposed between the bearing 41 and a shoulder 49 proi vided on the bar. Movement of the bar 45 in the -opposite directlon may be caused by a fulcrumed 35 the tapered end anges as well as the cylindrical 50 vsupport 56vfor the fulcrum 51 upon which the The support 56 may bein 55 Y lever 50 is mounted. the form of a block which is slidable in ways 'provided by the spaced guide members 53 and 59.

To render this variable-travel guide device responsive to movement of the control member 32,' i We provide the pivoted lever 21 with an additional 60 From the arrangement just described itf will o5 mit the lever 21 'to'be swung in-a counter-clock- 70 guide fingers against the .tapered flanges of the.

causes an increase in the length of' travel of the 48, such that the strand I3 is properly wound spool.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing it will now be readily understood that we have provided improved winding mechanism wherein the speed o! the spool,is automatically changed to compensate for variations occurring in the eilective diameter of the .spool as the result of the material building up thereon, and that such automatic changes in the spool speed are produced by means which comprises a member in cooperating relation to the spool and adapted to be moved in .response to changes in the depth of material thereon.

It will be understood furthermore that the movable control member which cooperatesl with the spool is prevented from direct contact with the material by an intervening medium, and that the presence of such intervening medium may be obtained by providing the member with an opening which is presented to the material on` the spool and through which uid isk discharged against the material.-

It will also be readily understood from the foregoing description and the drawing that we have provided novel means for automatically varying the travel of an oscillating guide whereby the strand will be properly directed to different portions of the spool, and the use of which novel mechanism permits the strand to be eillciently wound on spools having tapered end flanges. It will be understood, further, that this automatic control lfor the strand guide involves the use of the above mentioned movable control member which is disposed in cooperating' relation to the spool adapted to be moved in response to changes in the depth of material wound thereon.

Throughout the claims and speciiication we have referred to the part upon which the l strand is wound as being a spoo1" and, in this, connec` tion, we wish it tobe understood thatw'by the word spool we intend to include any member or device of suitable nature and upon which the strand may be wound.

While we have illustrated and described our improved winding apparatus in a somewhat den tailed manner, itwill be understood, of course; that the invention is not to be regarded as limited to any particular winding apparatus nor to the winding of any particular strand material, but that the invention includes all modifications and changes which do not constitute a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the l appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described the combination of a rotatable spool adapted to be driven at variable speed, and a control therefor comprising a member adapted to be moved substantially proportionately to .variation in the depth of material on the spool. said member being provided with means for discharging iluid against the material to vprevent'contact of the member therewith.

2. In combination, a rotatable spool adapted to have material wound thereon, amember in cooperating relation to said material and .adapted to be actuated upon change in the depth of material on the spool, means controlled by said member for correspondingly ,varying the speed of rotation of the spool, and means maintaining duid g5 between said member and thevmaterial on the to be wound, means for spool for preventing contact of the member with the material.

3. In combination, a rotatable spool adapted to have material wound thereon, a member in cooperating relation to said material and'adapted to be actuated upon change in the depth of material on the spool, means controlled by said member for correspondingly varying the speed of rotation. of the spool, said member being hollow and having an opening presented to the material, and means for causing fluid to be discharged through said opening and against the material.

4. In `winding apparatus the combination of a rotatable spool upon whichmaterial is adapted to be wound, means for driving the spool including a transmission having adjustment for different spool speeds, a movable member in cooperating relation to the spool and having operative connection with said transmission for effecting ad- Justment thereof, said member being hollow and having an opening presented to the material on the spool, and means for causing uid to be discharged through said opening and against said material.

5. In winding apparatus the combination' of a rotatable spool upon which material is adapted y driving the spool including a transmission having adjustment- Jfor dierentspool speeds, a movable nozzle having operative connection with said transmission for effecting adjustment thereof and also having a discharge opening presented to the material 'on the spool, andmeans for causing a substantially constant now of iluid through the nozzle opening and against the material.

6. In winding apparatus the combination of a rotatable spool upon which material is adapted to be wound, means for driving the spool includinga transmission having a step-by-step ad'- justment for diierent spool speeds, a hollow arm mounted to swing relative to the spool and having an opening presented to the material on Athe spool, means for causing a ow ofy fluid through said arm and against the material, and means i whereby movement of said arm causes actuation of the step-by-step adjustment.

7. In winding apparatus the combination of a rotatable spool upon which material is adapted to be wound, an oscillating device for 'guiding the material to diierent'portions of the spool, `and means for automatically varying the travel of the guiding device in response toA change in the depth of material on the spool, said means including a shiftable member .provided with means for discharging fluid against the wound material to prevent contact of the shiftable member therewith.

8. In winding apparatus the combination of a material to dierent portions of the'spool, meansl for varying the travell of the guiding device comprising a member in cooperating relation to the spool and movable substantially proportionately with changes in the depth of material on the spool, and means for supplying a iluid medium to prevent contact of said member with the material.

10. In winding apparatus the combination of a rotatable spool upon which material is adapted to be wound, an oscillating device for guiding the material to different portions of the spool, and means for varying the travel of the guiding d evice comprising a `member in cooperating relation to the spool and movable substantially proportionately with changes in the depth of material on the spool,`said member having an opening presented to the material and being held out of contact therewith by iluid discharged through said opening against the material.

11. In winding apparatus the combination of a spool adapted to be rotated at different speeds, an oscillating device for guiding material to different portions ofthe spool, means responsive to changes in the depth of material on the spool for automatically varying the spool speed and the` travel of the guiding device, and means for supplying fluid medium to prevent contact of said responsive means witltv the material.

12. In winding apparatus the combination of a rotatable spool, a transmission device for varying the spool speed, `a reciprocable guide for directing the material to diierent portions of the spool, a .lever actuating said guide, a shiftable fulcrum for said lever, a member in cooperating relation to said'spool and adapted to be moved outwardly therefrom as the material builds up on the spool, a ratchet having connection with said member and provided with a series of teeth, and

another member/having operative connection with said transmission device and with said shiftable fulcrum andvalso having a pawl engaging said ratchet.

13. In winding apparatus the combination of a rotatable spool, a variable` transmission for driving the spool at diiierent speeds, a control member having operative connection` witlrthe transmission f for adjusting the same, spring means tending 'to shift said control member in a direction to reduce thespool speed, a movable stop normally preventing shifting. of said control member by the spring, and means operable in response to the'growth or material on .the spool for moving said-stop.

14. In winding apparatus .the combination of a rotatable spool, a variable transmission for driving the spool at diierent speeds, a variabletravel guide device for guiding the material to dierent portions of the spool, a control member having operative connection with the transmission for varying the spool speed an'd with the guide device for varying the travel thereof, spring means tending to shift saldcontrol member in a direction to reduce the spool speed and to increase the length of travel of theguide device, a

normally preventing shifting of said control member by the spring, an arm operable in response to the growth of material on the spool for moving said stop, and means for supplying iiuid medium to prevent Contact of the arm with the material.

16. In winding apparatus the combination of a rotatable spool, a variable transmission for driving the spool at different speeds, a variabletravel guide device for guiding the material to different portions of the spool, a control member having operative connection with the transmission for varying vthe spool speed and with the guide device for vvarying the travel thereof,

A spring means tend/ing to shift said control member in a direction'to reduce the spool speed and to increase the length of travel oi.' the guide device, a movable stop normally preventing shitting of the control member by the spring,l an arm operable in response to the growth of material on the spool for moving said stop, and means for supplying fluid medium to prevent contact of the arm with the material. V

EDWIN J. AMCIILNRIIEID.

NORMAN H. NYE. 

